2010-05-13

May 13 traveled to Iita-mura (飯舘村) with Itonaga-sensei. As explained in a previous post, Iitate received a government grant to build a model eco-home. Last December we built the west wall of a detached studio using straw bales. The home utilizes a number of environmental and experimental features. The hygrothermal environment of the home is being monitored and the data is displayed real-time by computer. Japanese Cypress bathtub

2010-05-09

In March I joined the Japan Minka Revitalization Association (日本民家再生協会). This year I'll attend classes once a month in different areas of Japan regarding Japanese folk homes. There are roughly 36 people in the class. On May 9, I attended my first class in Saitama Prefecture.One part of the class involved drawing a floor plan and interior elevation of the home we're surveying.

2010-05-08

May 8 attended a tour of the Japanese Folk Home Muesum (日本民家園) in Kawasaki, Kanagawa.
Repairing thatch roof
Structure of thatch roof
Straw rope work
土間(doma) = earthen floor stabilized with lime and 苦汁(nigari), a byproduct of salt production